فَهَلاَّ احْتَجَجْتُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ: بِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ(صلى الله عليه وآله) وَصَّى بِأَنْ يُحْسَنَ إِلَى مُحْسِنِهمْ، وَيُتَجَاوَزَ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ؟
Why did you not argue against them (ansar) that the Prophet had left his will that whoever is good among Ansar should be treated well and whoever is bad should be forgiven.
قالوا:
People said:
وما في هذا من الحجّة عليهم؟
"What is the proof against them in it?"
فقال(عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin said:
لَوْ كَانَتِ الامارة فِيهمْ لَمْ تَكُنِ الْوَصِيَّةُ بِهِمْ.
"If the Government was for them there should have been no will in their favour."
ثم قال:
Then he said:
فَمَاذَا قَالَتْ قُرَيْشٌ؟
"What did the Quraysh plead?"
قالوا:
People said:
احتجت بأَنها شجرة الرسول (صلى الله عليه وآله).
"They argued that they belong to the lineal tree of the Prophet.
فقال (عليه السلام):
Then Amir al-mu'minin said:
احْتَجُّوا بِالشَّجَرَةِ، وَأَضَاعُوا الَّثمَرَةَ
"They defended themselves with the plea of the tree but neglected the fruit."
Alternative Sources for Sermon 67: Al-Nuwayri, Nihayah, VIII, 168; al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 326; al-Karajiki, al-Ta’ajjub, 13; al-Jawhari, al-Saqifah, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, II, at the beginning; al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, VI, 263; Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr, al-'Isti’ab, in the account of ‘Awf ibn Athathah; al-Mas’udi, Muruj; al-Tawhidi, al-Basa'ir, 59; al-Murtada, al-'Amali, I, 198.
